Code Geass: Fight for the Future
by Braer
Summary: With the completion of the Zero Requiem, the world has been ushered into a new era. Yet there are still those who lurk in the shadows with unclear intentions. Will humanity finally be free of its harsh past and be able to progress forward into the future.


**AN:** My first (and hopefully not last) Code Geass fanfic. This starts briefly with the end of Turn 25 in R2 so spoilers for any who haven't seen it. Hope you all enjoy and leave a comment to let me know what you think, especially if you see any discrepancies or ways I can improve.

* * *

**Dead**

**July 4, 2018 a.t.b**

**Japan**

**Tokyo Settlement**

"That's Zero!" The man's exclamation elicited gasps from those around him who looked upon the newcomer. It had been an uneventful, if not tyrannical, event that everyone had come to watch, when the column had suddenly halted. Those congregated now stared down the street towards the masked man that barred the path of the advancing procession. All attention was focused on him; none could figure out exactly how to react.

Yet Suzaku knew exactly what was going to happen. Since Lelouch had ascended to the throne of Emperor of Britannia he had been preparing himself for this day. _Father, this is my atonement._ With that thought he looked upon the parade ahead of him, his intended target at the rear staring with mock disbelief. As he started to charge a red light began to outline his eyes and he pressed on with increased vigor.

At the head of the column were three Vincent Wards that started to fire as he approached. He moved in a zigzag pattern to dodge the rounds and jumped up and over the shoulder of the middle Knightmare landing on an APC behind it. He hopped off the vehicle and ran in between two mobile platforms with prisoners strapped to stands upon them. Suddenly, Jeremiah Gottwald came into view and charged toward Suzaku. A rueful smile spread across Suzaku's lips. _Jeremiah, may your loyalty never be forgotten_. Without breaking step Suzaku leapt high into the air and came down forcefully on Jeremiah's shoulder, knocking him over while Suzaku was propelled onto the main float. He landed and continued past a restrained Schneizel, sparing a quick glance at a confused Nunnally as he made his way to his destination.

Suzaku then stood face to face with Lelouch; resolute in the task he had been given. He drew out the sword at his hip and elaborately flourished it, his intent clear. Lelouch, faking distress, quickly felt inside his vestments and pulled out a concealed pistol bringing it to bear. Suzaku flicked his wrist, using the sword to slap the weapon out of Lelouch's hand. He started to bring the blade back to run Lelouch through and end the threat, but hesitated slightly. _NO! I shall do this of my own will!_ At that he blinked a few times and the ethereal red glow faded from around his eyes. He pushed on with his attack and brought the sword towards Lelouch. The spotless blade pierced Lelouch's abdomen and Suzaku watched as his features abruptly changed from a serene acceptance to intense pain as he opened his mouth in a soundless cry of agony. Time seemed to slow down for Suzaku as Lelouch leaned forward to rest on his friend's shoulder. "Lelouch," Suzaku whispered, tears beginning to roll down the side of his face.

"This is also a punishment for you," Lelouch began in a deathly whisper, raising his bloodied right hand to touch Zero's mask, "you will be the defender of justice and wear a mask forever. You will be the lookout, eternally vigilant for that which would seek to destroy this new world. You will forsake your old life, no longer Suzaku Kururugi but the stalwart knight crushing tyranny where it raises its head. You will sacrifice your own happiness and well being for the world." Violent coughing racked Lelouch's body, when it subsided he looked out of the corner of his eye directly at Suzaku his voice completely clear. "And above all you will protect Nunnally, forever."

Suzaku stared forward, not meeting Lelouch's gaze and answered firmly, "Yes your Majesty." As Suzaku finished his statement he withdrew the blade. Lelouch, no longer propped up, collapsed forward and tumbled down the ramp to rest next to Nunnally.

Nunnally looked over and hesitantly crawled toward his bloodied form. "Oniisan," she spoke as she reached out to grab his hand. On touching his fingers images rushed through her mind, startling her at their vividness and meaning. She looked at her brothers face again, realizing his true intent, and began to shriek his name desperately.

As Nunnally futilely pleaded for her bother Suzaku looked toward a commotion behind the crowd; Cornellia emerged from a building near the procession leading a ragtag band of fugitives who seemed set on releasing the prisoners. With that the spell suddenly broke that had been holding the crowd in place and they surged forward screaming and yelling. Those forces still under Jeremiah began to pull back away from the oncoming masses to regroup farther behind the parade. People ran to stand before the float Zero was on, cheers and shouts of praise coming forth from the gathering.

Suzaku flourished the blade he held, the blood that clung to it flying off to stain the ground next to him. He sheathed the sword and slowly raised his hand calling for silence. He coughed and began to speak to the crowd. "People of the world, a new age is upon us. We enter a time now where instead of violence words will be used to solve disputes. Countries will finally be able to communicate and come to understand one another. Man will truly be free of the tyranny of the past," he paused for a moment and then continued, "I am well aware of the war and bloodshed that it took to bring about this change. Yet we must be prepared for further hardship if we wish for this new peace to endure for future generations. With this newfound freedom comes the price of eternal vigilance to keep it.

"However now is a time for celebration and festivities. On this day, July fourth, we shall remember the end of the evil that has permeated this world since time immemorial. It shall be celebrated by future generations as a great anniversary festival. So I declare that today, from now on, will be commemorated all across the world as a day of deliverance. Let all of humanity celebrate with parades, games, sports, fireworks to show our jubilation. Let the heavens know our joy as one people for we can finally proclaim, **WE ARE FREE**!"

The crowd erupted into cheering and Suzaku smiled behind his mask. He hadn't been sure about declaring a new worldwide holiday, but Lelouch had insisted that he put it into his speech. _Lelouch you always did know how to work the crowd_. Suzaku then drew his hands out as to encompass all of the people there and said, "Now go! Free those who have fought so dearly and paid so much for our noble cause."

Those gathered ran haphazardly to the prison carriers and began releasing the captives all while chanting, "Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"

* * *

High in a building set along the road that looked over the parade, a lone silhouette stood at a window watching the events unfold below. As Zero finished his speech and the crowd went to free the prisoners the person sighed and gazed at his reflection in the glass. Gunmetal grey eyes stared back at him as he brought his fingers up to rub the leathery tanned skin pulled taunt over his cheeks. He then moved his hand up over his forehead to brush through his buzzed dark brown hair, a fatigued expression crossing his strong jaw line to match the slight bags under his eyes.

"So, they done out there?" a voice behind him asked nonchalantly.

"Yes," the man at the window turned to survey the room behind him, "it seems things are beginning to die down now that Kururugi has finished their vaunted Zero Requiem." From the window light he saw a hardwood floor of a rather vacant room, the only furniture being a single round table that the light stopped short of completely encompassing. Stretching out of the darkened side was a pair of booted feet relaxing on the table.

A yawn came from the darkness as the feet withdrew and the man heard the loud clump of thick soles hitting the floor. "Finally that whole drama is over with, I was getting really bored just sitting here twiddling my thumbs." The voice began to whistle a cheery tune as fire sprung into life from the dark, momentarily revealing a youthful masculine face before being snuffed out.

The man then heard a slight puffing sound and a cloud of smoke flowed into the light followed by a satisfied sigh. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Must you really smoke that pipe? You look like a complete idiot when you do that. Someone as young as you should not be smoking a pipe."

The voice chirped back from the darkness, "Hey I like it; makes me feel rather sophisticated, like I'm one of those pompous Brit nobles looking down on the rabble." The voice took on a mock aloof tone, "Yes look at all those commoners running about down there, just like a bunch of ants they are. Yes, let us go and play crochet or something before we have our crumpets and tea. Ah yes, tea and cake or death!"

"If only you could see the irony in that." The man slowly began walking toward the darkened part of the room. As he entered the shadows he said, "Come, we should head back to the Japanese post and report in to our Comrade. He'll want to know that it all happened just as he was told."

"Eh you go ahead; I think I might head over to Britannia. Some work's probably gonna open up there in the not-too-distant-future." There was a scratching sound of wood on wood as the voice got up to leave. Moments later a door opposite the windows opened and flooded the threshold with artificial light; two figures crossed into the hallway, one turned left as the other waved and went in the opposite direction.

* * *

**July 20, 2018 a.t.b**

**Britannia, Province of California**

**San Diego City**

Rain was coming. The entire city was covered in a blanket of menacing bruised clouds that seemed to threaten to release their payload at any moment. This only compounded on Kallen's dejected mood as she looked out the window of a black sedan that cruised languidly up towards a plaster white structure. As the car neared its destination Kallen glanced at the building and saw situated predominantly on a low brick wall the name Elizabeth Memorial Hospital. The hospital sat atop a large hill that overlooked the entirety of the greater San Diego City, the coastline could be seen stretching for miles on end. The building's vibrant white exterior was accentuated by the local fauna that had grown or been planted around it, as well as having a cherubim fountain in front of the hospital that expelled crystal clear water. The basin of the fountain was covered with various colored coins, thrown in by people who had come to see loved ones and wished for their speedy recovery.

The sedan pulled up before the main entrance and the driver quickly stepped out and moved around to open the door for Kallen. She thanked him and the man bowed before he shut the door and walked back to the driver's side. "I'll be waiting out here for you when wish to leave madam," he said as he stepped into the car.

"Alright, thank you again," Kallen replied as she turned and walked through a pair of automatic doors.

The main entrance to the hospital was as welcoming as the exterior. The room was painted white outlined with a pale yellow and was bathed in fluorescent light. On each side of the entrance were large alcoves that had luxurious leather upholstered chairs with several polished wooden tables and copies of magazines. At the focal point of the room rested a circular reception desk that more resembled the counter of a bar except that the seats where on the inside. In the center of it was an aquarium that housed an array of exotic fish.

As Kallen made her way past the desk the heels she wore clacked against the tiled floor and drew the attention of some in the room. She tried to ignore those that looked and stared at the attire she had worn there. She seemed out of place in the cheery setting, clothed in a black dress that fell just below her knees as well as a coat of the same color that ended at her midriff. Such an outfit was rarely seen in the hospital, except for on certain occasions.

Kallen continued past the reception desk and headed towards an elevator, stopped, and pressed the call button. She stepped inside when the door opened and pressed the button for the sub-basement. While the elevator descended Kallen looked around the space and was mildly startled when she noticed that the wall opposite the door was in fact not a wall, but a full length mirror. She pushed back a bang of her red hair which she worn down so that it brushed her collar, a look which seemed to reinforce the cheerless expression on her face. As she continued to examine herself in the mirror the elevator jerked slightly signaling it had reached its destination. Kallen turned just as the doors opened and stepped from the enclosure into a well lit hallway and proceeded towards a set of double doors at the far end. While she was walking she passed by a long window made of a hazy glass, she could only partially make out small doors set in rows and columns in the walls of the room inside, as well as two steel tables juxtaposed in the middle of the room.

The sub-basement housed the morgue of the hospital, where the deceased could be kept until relatives made arrangements for their burial. Yet it also had, unlike most other hospitals, a crematorium. This was used for those who had no one to claim their body. It also served as a more discreet and inexpensive means for people to send on their beloved deceased.

As Kallen came to the double doors she hesitated and mentally prepared herself while she took in a deep breath, lifting her head she pushed open the doors. The room she entered was dimly lit compared to the one she had just left, the lack of luminescence meant to accommodate a more somber mood. A formal sofa had been placed against one of the long walls with a matching lamp and stand on each side. The upper half of the opposite wall was dominated by a window that extended nearly the entire length except for where it met another door.

The room the door led into housed the crematorium which looked very much like an oversized old style wood burning oven. Next to it was a coffin made of a polished dark wood with golden railings and dark red velvet interior. In it lay the reason why Kallen had come. Lelouch's supine form had been clothed in a regal white robe that bunched up at the collar where the hood had been pulled down to reveal his features more clearly. His face was placid, though a bit whiter than it had been in life and his arms had been folded across his upper chest.

Kallen saw that only three other people where in the formal observatory with her, and they appeared to be in discussion. However, as she made her way toward them the smallest of their group turned and waved at her. Kallen returned the gesture with a smile and walked over, bent down, and hugged Nunnally. She coldly regarded Zero as she stood, who in turn said nothing from behind his mask. She was at a loss for words though when she noticed who the third member of the group was, yet she regained her composure almost immediately. "Jeremiah, I didn't expect to see you here."

Jeremiah gave a slight bow as he replied, "It is my duty, and also an honor to see that one of Marianne's children is safely put to rest."

"And thank you Jeremiah for all you did for my brother, even though I was unaware most of the time of his true intentions." Nunnally looked up at Kallen as she continued, "And Kallen, words cannot express how grateful I am for how much you helped and protected Lelouch. Out of everyone you were always there for him. You were special to him Kallen…even to the very end, and I'm glad that you came today. It would have meant a lot to him that you're here."

Kallen merely turned to stare passively through the window at the coffin's occupant. "I came for myself, I wanted to see it through to the end," she said in a distant, neutral tone.

Nunnally, a little taken aback by the bluntness of the statement, still smiled. "Well, either way, with you here we can finally lay my brother to rest."

With that Jeremiah knocked on the glass signaling attendants in the other room to begin. They gently closed the lid and slowly lifted the casket onto metal rollers set before the cremator. One of the men moved to open the door to the blazing inferno while the other stood at the end of the casket opposite the entrance. Once the door had been opened he used a metal prod to push the coffin along the rollers until it was fully inside the furnace. The men then moved off to the far side of the cremator and stood silently in respect. The occupants of the other room continued to stand and observe the event as well.

They continued to watch for some time; and at one point Kallen asked of no one in particular, "How long does this usually take?"

"Around two hours is the average amount of time needed for the body to be fully consumed," replied Zero's metallic voice.

"I see." Kallen gingerly placed a hand on the window as she continued to stare at the furnace, entranced by the flicker of flames that could be seen through the grille on the door. _So, this was your plan huh? Make the world a better place by getting yourself killed; you always went for the dramatic endings. _A small smile formed on her lips. _One thing you forgot though…for some of us…you were what made the world a better place. Now though…_ Her bottom lip quivered as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Kallen." Hearing her name she quickly wiped her cheek and looked over to Nunnally who was staring up at her. "What do you intend to do now that the war is over?"

"I'm going back to Ashford," she said. "Lelouch…he…he asked me, when this was all over, to come back to Ashford with hi-" She choked on her words as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. "If you'll excuse me, I need some fresh air."

She made her way to the double doors and had gotten half way to the elevator when a voice called out behind her. Kallen turned and saw Zero walking quickly towards her, annoyance came to the fore of her torrent of emotions. "What do you want Suzaku, or should I call you by the name you used to loathe Zero."

Suzaku stopped short of her, visibly shocked, then said in a quiet voice, "So, you knew all along?"

"Yeah, only you would go along with a scheme like this."

"It worked though; the world is a better place for everyone now."

"Not for me!" Kallen nearly screamed. "Tell me Suzaku, why? Why did he trust you over me? Why, in the end, did he shun me and go to you, his sworn enemy?"

Now Suzaku's voice began to rise with frustration. "You know damn well why Kallen. It's because he didn't want this," he pointed at himself, "to happen to you. Look at me; I'm stuck for the rest of my life wearing this God-forsaken mask. I can never go back to my old life. I can never see my friends or live how I want to live. You saw it Kallen, my gravestone. I'm dead to the world and will be seen by history as a traitor to my country who served the most despicable man ever. Now all I have is this mask, this terrible terrible mask."

Suzaku slowly moved towards Kallen, his tone becoming gentler. "That's why he shunned you Kallen. He wanted you to be able to live free of war and conflict, to move forward and begin anew. His wish was for you to have a normal peaceful life."

"Yet how can I without him." Tears had begun to fall down the side of her face, hurt evident in her voice. "This new life that he wanted for me, it's nothing without him. I fought on and persevered because of him. I wanted to see what this new world would be like, with him. But he's gone now…" She abruptly looked away as Suzaku moved closer and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No," she shrugged it off, "just...just go."

Suzaku stood there for a moment, then turned and walked slowly back toward the double doors. Once he was gone Kallen let a single sob escape her lips then started toward the elevator again at a quicker pace. Focused so intently on her escape she didn't notice the man backing out of the morgue with a loaded gurney and gasped as she collided with him, bowling them both over.

"Oh I'm so sorry. I didn't see you coming out." Kallen hurriedly picked herself up and assisted the man in doing the same.

"No no, it's quite alright." He brushed off his shoulder and smiled at Kallen. "No harm done."

"Ah, thank goodness." Kallen returned the smile sheepishly then caught site of an object on the floor and bent down to pick it up. "I believe you dropped this…pipe?"

The man suddenly became agitated and grabbed the pipe from Kallen's hand. "Oops, guess that must've fallen out of my pocket, thank you. Belonged to my father you see, gave it to me when I left home, has cherished memories attached to it and what not." He quickly stuffed the pipe into his pocket and grabbed hold of the gurney. "Well, nice meeting you and everything Gotta run though. Bye." He pushed the gurney to the elevator and got in as the door opened.

Kallen stared at the retreating man until the elevator doors shut behind him. Her trance broken she continued to the elevator and waited at the door until it returned. Once it reached ground level she began to walk back toward the entrance of the hospital. Her thoughts returned to Lelouch as she walked and she hung her head slightly, her demeanor becoming downcast. She walked out the front door and headed over to a bench and sat down. _Man these heels are such a pain._ As she looked at her feet a loud boom echoed above her and she felt a droplet of rain hit the back of her neck. She looked up and lightning flashed through the sky, outlining a helicopter as it left the hospital. Another boom reverberated through the sky and the rain began to pour. Kallen just continued to star up into the blackened sky as fat goblets of rain splashed onto her, drenching her completely. She sat, soaked and cold, and thought about the man she loved and how he was forever gone from her life.


End file.
